


Part of The Journey is The End and This Journey is Far From Over

by endlessnepenthe



Series: We're Both a Little Broken, But Together We'll Fill In The Cracks [12]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Hey guess what, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Platonic Cuddling, Sleepy Cuddles, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, so they both need hugs, very very soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23395573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/endlessnepenthe/pseuds/endlessnepenthe
Summary: Sleep, they said. You need rest, it'll be fine, they said.And maybe it is.
Relationships: Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe) & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: We're Both a Little Broken, But Together We'll Fill In The Cracks [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1264100
Comments: 4
Kudos: 145





	Part of The Journey is The End and This Journey is Far From Over

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hello! I’m back (after literally half a year, haha)! These are tough times, y’all :(( please stay safe; give it some time, this too shall pass
> 
> Whew I think I’ve finally—just the slightest bit—come to terms with what they had decided to do to my childhood hero… I can finally face Tony’s character again without feeling like I want to rip my beating heart out of my chest, so I’ll definitely be writing more! (I hope I can let go of the 'Peter not understanding Tony is initiating a hug because he's been denied before' trope soon lol)

_ You know what’s about to happen; say something. If you don’t, you’ll regret it. _

_ Sounds like a cold world, Tony. _

_ Stark, you know that’s a one way trip. _

_ Stop! Spare his life… and I will give you the stone. _

_ You’re all I have too, you know. _

_ When you can do the things that I can, but you don’t… And then the bad things happen— they happen because of you. _

_ Don’t waste it. Don’t waste your life. _

_ You’re not the guy to make the sacrifice play. To lay down on the wire and let the other guy crawl over you. _

_ I can do this all day. _

_ You think you fight for us. You just fight for yourself. _

_ You’re going to kill yourself, Tony. I’m not going to be a part of it. _

_ You— could’ve saved… us. _

_ Tony. You’re too young to understand this right now so I thought I would put it on film for you. _

_ You have my respect, Stark. When I’m done, half of humanity will still be alive. I hope they remember you. _

_ Every time someone tries to win a war before it starts, innocent people die. Every time. _

_ How ironic, Tony! Trying to rid the world of weapons, you gave it its best one ever! _

_ How did you get out of the wormhole? _

_ One day you’ll figure this out, and when you do— You will change the world. _

_ I lost everyone. And so will you. An empire toppled by its enemies can rise again. But one which crumbles from within? That’s dead… forever. _

_ You’re not the only one cursed with knowledge. _

_ This could have been avoided if you hadn’t played with something you don’t understand. _

_ What is and always will be: my greatest creation… is you. _

_ Big man in a suit of armour. Take that off, and what are you? _

_ I just wanted to be like you! _

_ So you’re a man who has everything. And nothing. _

_ Recruitment for Avengers initiative… Iron Man: yes. Tony Stark: not recommended. _

_ And what do you say to your other nickname: the merchant of death. _

_ Who do you think locked you out? I was the one who filed the injunction against you. _

_ Stark, you could not live with your failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me. _

_ We need more time… Hey— I’m gonna go buy you some time. _

Tony chokes on a gasp, the sound cutting sharp and jagged in his throat.

His eyes, wide with something alarmingly near panic, don’t see. It takes far too long for his brain to recognize his eyes haven’t failed him, it’s simply too dark to make out much. Even so, his heart races far ahead, a frantic bird caught behind the bars of its cage longing for freedom.

Years of habit drags breathtaking fear from the farthest corners of Tony’s mind at the glaring absence of a blue glow; he glances down at his chest, and is still startled to realize there is no longer anything foreign taking up residence in the top center of his ribcage.

“What’re you looking at,” a small voice slurs.

Tony turns his head, pressing his cheek into the plush marshmallow of his pillow to look back at the half lidded sleepy eyes watching him. “Nothing. What’re  _ you _ doing in my bed, little miss? You know I’m terrible at sleeping.”

Morgan yawns, scrunching up her nose. “Peter said this ‘s better.”

“Did he now,” Tony hums absently, preoccupied with brushing some hair away from Morgan’s face.

“Mm.” She leans into Tony’s touch, closing her eyes with a tiny smile.

“Pete isn’t always right, but don’t tell him that,” Tony whispers dramatically, gently tapping Morgan’s nose with a finger.

Morgan giggles. She doesn’t call him out for his obvious lie.

Next to Tony, someone jackknifes upright, silent but quite obviously distressed. Tony can only just barely make out darker shadows of shapes in the darkness, but he doesn’t need sight to recognize who it is.

“Hey, kiddo. Where’s the fire?”

Peter visibly flinches, a quick involuntary jerk of his shoulders. “...Mr. Stark?”

He sounds lost. Disbelieving. As if he’s a dreamer who had just woken up into another dream and no longer knows the difference of reality.

Tony slowly sits up. He strokes a soothing hand over Morgan’s hair when she stirs unhappily in response to the movement. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t—” Peter bows his head, clutching desperate handfuls of the fluffy comforter. “We won, he’s gone,” he murmurs under his breath.

It doesn’t sound like it’s his first time saying those words.

“Kid…”

Peter breaths a soft sound caught between a yelp and a whimper. “I’m sorry—”

“Hey,” Tony interrupts, not unkindly. “None of that; you didn’t do anything wrong.” He holds out his free arm.

“Is— Are we…”

_ That’s not a hug, I’m just grabbing the door for you. _

_ We aren’t there yet. _

Tony huffs, playing up his faux offended act. “C’mon, Peter, we’ve both—”  _ Died. _ To his credit, he only falters for a moment before continuing on, steady and tranquil as a clean stream over water smoothed rocks. “After everything, you  _ still _ think we aren’t there yet?”

Even without a glimpse of his expression, Tony could see Peter wilt, chagrined.

“I‘m—”

With a fond sigh, Tony waves his hand. “C’mere. I hate having to repeat myself, y’know?”

Peter hesitantly crawls closer. Impatient, Tony slips his arm around Peter’s shoulders and tugs gently, until he’s just about falling into the hug.

“Morgan’s called dibs on one of my arms, so you’ll have to make do with this,” Tony says as he squeezes Peter to his chest.

Their positions are a little awkward, but Peter giggles weakly and settles both arms around Tony’s torso. Not one to be left out, Morgan pops up and joins in, her short arms struggling to stretch around both Tony’s side and Peter’s back at once. Smiling into Peter’s hair, Tony wraps his arms around his children and hugs them close, furious affection warming his heart.

It’s perfect.

His small family might be war torn and haunted by ghosts they will never shake, but he’s found them again. They’re alive, together.

It’s perfect, and for the first time in a very, very long time, Tony Stark is happy.

**Author's Note:**

> other people: I’m gonna write my filthiest kinks because no one can really judge me on the internet
> 
> me: Tony & Peter bEING FATHER AND SON! SLEEPING!! CUDDLING!!! NO SADNESS!!!!
> 
> (kudos to anyone who can identify all of the quotes!)
> 
> This is probably long overdue, but here I go: Thank you to everyone who has been following along on this bumpy road of a series, and everyone who has left a comment on any of my works so far! I'm the Worst(TM) at replying to comments, but I promise I read every single one and I appreciate them all! Before y'all start panicking (this does sort of sound like a farewell letter smh), I'm not ready to let go of this series just yet, so stick around for more of my soft Irondad & Spiderson bs :))


End file.
